Vending machine



Sept 1933- D. ANTOINE El AL 1,925,685

VENDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 26, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 -59 PM a Sept. 5, 1933.

A. D. ANTOINE Er AL VENDING MACHINE Sept. 5, 1933. A. D. ANTOINE Er AL VENDING MACHINE Filed D80. 26, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mllll V art" l atented Sept. 5,1933

- STATES VENDING MACHINE Alfred D. Antoine, Chicago,

and Albert E.

Gebert, Wilmette, 111., assignors to Advance Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application December 26, 1929 Serial No. 416,476

18 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines of the type in whichthere is provided a plurality of article or commodity holders from which the articles are independently dispensed by means of ejectors individual to the holders, and an actuating mechanism which is common to all of the ejectors, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide improved means for selectively rendering the ejectors active and inactive with respect to the said actuating mechanism.

A further object is to provide an improved device of this character which will be of a simple, durable, cheap and compact construction, and which will be effective and efficient in operation.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention and in which v Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a machine of this character constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the ejector mechanisms.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3, Figure 2, with parts omitted. v

Figure 4 is a detail view partly in elevation,

partly in section and partly broken away of a portion of the coin controlled mechanism, showing the check or coin carrier.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 2, with parts omitted.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, with the parts in different positions.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the check controlled mechanism. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawings the numeral 10 designates generally a portion of a casing in which is arranged the commodity or article holders 11, any number of which may be provided.

The numeral 12 designates a supporting structure upon which the operating mechanism of the machine is arranged and which structure with the operating mechanism thereon is adapted to be removed as a unit from thecasing 10.

Mounted upon the supporting structure '12 are a plurality of ejectors for dispensing thearticles from the respective holders or containers 10. Any

extend thereacross is a rock shaft 13 and connected to this shaft are a plurality of pairs of spaced co-operating arms 14, which latter constitute a means for assisting in supporting and guiding the ejector mechanism.

Two of these arms are provided for each ejector 7 and the ejector consists preferably of a bodyv portion 15 provided with flanged sides 16 between which flanges the arms 14 are arranged and the arms are preferably so disposed that they will stand in close proximity to the inner face of the respective flanges 16.

Each of the flanges 16 is bifurcated as at 17' so as to stand astride of the shaft 13 and adapted for a free sliding movement in directions transverseto the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

By arrangingthe arms 14 inside of the flanges 16 and by securing the arms to the shaft, it will be manifest that the ejectors will be held against movement in directions lengthwise of the shaft.

The ejectors are connected with the arms 14 means of fastening devices or screws 18 carried by the arms 14 and which pass through slots 19 in the flanges. The flanges preferably extend below the body portion 15 of the ejector and the ity thereof preferably by means of a pivot 22 and a spring 23 is provided which tends normally to maintain a portion 24. of the section 21 against the body portion of the ejector 15 so that the sections 21 will be locked or maintained against movement in one direction about its pivot 22 when the parts assume the position shown in Figure 3, but the spring 23 will yield to permit the section 21 to move about its pivot upon the return movement or" the ejector so as to permit the section 21 to pass under the articles 25 in the container 11..

The weight of the ejector is such that it will normally assume the position shown in Figure3 with respect to the shaft 13 and the bottom of the container 11, That is, in a retracted position 110 so that upon oscillation of the shaft 13 the ejector will be inactive with respect to the articles 25 in the container 11.

One of these ejectors is mounted below each of the containers l1 and the containers are arranged above a support 26 upon which the articles 25 rest. The support 26 is provided with slots 27 through which arms or extensions 28 on the section 21 of he ejector are adapted to move, as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

The shaft 13 is adapted to be rocked in any suitable manner but preferably through the medium of a coin controlled mechanism, any form of mechanism being suitable for the purpose, one form of such mechanism being shown in Figure 8, but which. mechanism constitutes no part of the present invention. Suifice it to say that the coin controlled mechanism is provided with an operating handle 29 which is adapted, through suitable intermediate mechanism, to impart a rocking movement to a member 30 upon the insertion of a coin into the coin carrier 33.. The rocking member 30 is connected by means of links 32 with arms 33 secured to the rock shaft 13 so that upon each rocking movement of the member 30 the shaft 13 will be rocked forwardly and backwardly and with it the ejectors Arranged beneath the shaft and journaled in suitable supporting bearings is a shaft 34 which is parallel with the shaft 13 and secured to the shaft 34 are a plurality of cam. devices one of which is arranged beneath the curved extension 20 of the ejectors 15.

The cams 35 are arranged at different angles with respect to other and about the shaft 34, so that when one of the cams 35 is positioned by the rotation of the shaft 34 so that the curved extension 20 of the respective cjectors 15 contacts and moves over the care. by the rocking of the shaft 13, that respective ejector will be prevented from maintaining an inactive position with respect to the articles 25 and will be positioned into an active position that when the shaft 13 is moved in one direction. the extensions 23 on the section 21 of the ejector will engage behind the lowermost article the respective container and eject the article from the container and discharge the same into a chute 36 to be delivered to the customer through an opening 37.

When the shaft 34 is further rotated to position another cam 35 so as to cause its respective ejector to be rendered active with respect to the articles, the cam of the already active ejector will be positioned so as to allow the ejector to drop by gravity into. an inoperative position with respect to the articles.

It will therefore be manifest that by adjusting the shaft 34 the ejector may be selectively rendered active and inactive the cams 35 may be arranged in any desired manner about the shaft 34 with respect to each other.

Therefore, in order to select the container from which. the article is to be vended, it is only necesvenient. position for the operator, preferably to project through the front of the machine and in proximityto the .29 of actuating rnechanism' for the shaft'lB. Connected with the dle 33'is a shaft 39 and connected with the shaft 39 is a gear 40, preferably of the beveled type which meshes with a gear 41 which in turn in secured to the shaft 34 for rotation therewith. Thus by rotating the handle 38 the shaft 39 will be rotated and this in turn will rotate the shaft As a means for assisting in the selective operation or" the ejectors, any suitable indicating device may be provided, such for instance as an indicator 42 on the handle 38 and which indicator co-operates with suitable graduations or indicating marks 43.

It is thought that the operation of this mechanism will be clearly understood from the fore-- going, but briefly stated it is as follows.

The handle 38 is first operated to select the container from which it is desired to dispense the article and this is accomplished by rotating the handle to position one of the cams 35 to render the respective ejector active. The coin is then deposited into the coin carrier 31 and the handle 29 rotated in one direction so as to position the ejectcrs 15 as shown in Figure 7. This will invert the check carrier 31 and the check will be delivered into the machine, causing the member 30 to be rocked when the handle 29 is rotated in the opposite direction. By rocking the member 30 from the position shown in Figure '7 to the position shown in Figure 6, the shaft 13 will be rocked will also the ejectors 15. When the parts are moved from the posiof the ejector engaging and riding over the respective cam 35, thereby causing the ejector to be bodily moved with respect to the shaft 13, positioning the extensions 28 or" the section 21 of the ejector back of the lowermost article 25. The ejector will be held in this position until the parts are moved to the position shown in Figure 6, that is the ejector will be held elevated with respect to the shaft 13 by the respective cam 35.

When the shaft 13 is rotated in the opposite direction so as to move the parts from the position shown in Figure 6 back to the position shown in Figure 7, the section 21 of the elevated or active ejector will contactwith the lowermost article 25 in the container 11 and will yield dur- As soon as the ejector has assumed a position that'the extensions 23 will be positioned in front of the lowermost article, the spring 23 will cause the section 21 to assume its normal position as shown in'Figure 3.

Thus, it will be manifest that the device may be selectively controlled by operating the handle 38.

As a means for assisting in positioning the shaft 33 and the cams 35 by the adjustment of the handle 38 a resiliently yielding locking device may be provided on the shaft 34; Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose, but a simple and efficient means embodies a disc 44 provided with cam portions 45 having recesses 46 in its periphery.

friction roller or projec.,ion 49 adapted to enter the recesses 45 and a spring 50 tends normally to move the lever 47 in a direction that the projection or anti-friction roller will engage the periphery of the disc 44.

A lever 4'7 is pivotally mounted as. at 43 and is provided withan anti- Thus by rotating the handle 38 the lever i? will yield to permit the shaft 34 to be rotated and the anti-friction roller or projection lil will, under the influence of the spring 50, enter one of the seats 46 as the latter approaches the projection or roller.

While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that-various chan es may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts,

within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:- r 1. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, ejectors individual to the hold ers, a rock shaft common to the ejectors for actuating them and upon which shaft the ejec tors are mounted, means for rocking the shaft, and means independent of the ejectors and the shaft and under control of the operator for selectively and bodily shifting the ejectors with respect to the shaft to render them active with respect to the delivery of the articles when the shaft is rocked, and also operable to render the ejectors inactive.

2. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, ejectors individual to the said holders, a rock shaft supporting all 'of the ejectors and operable to actuate them upon each operation of the shaft, means for rocking the shaf and means for bodily shifting the ejectors with respect to and upon the shaft for selectively rendering the former active and inactive with respect to the delivery of articles thereby upon the rocking of said shaft. 1

3. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, a rock shaft, ejectors incli-v vidual to the holders, means connecting the ejectors with the shaft for rocking movement there- With and for bodily movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, and means for selectively causing the ejec tors to bodily move transversely with respect to the shaft to cause certain ejectors to be rendered active and others to be rendered inactive by an operation of the shaft.

i. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, a rock shaft, ejectors individual to the holders, ejectors with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, means for selectively causing one of the ejectors at a time to be thus bodily moved with respect to the shaft while the remainder are rendered inactive upon an operation of the shaft, the last recited means embodying means individual to the ejectors and adapted to be positioned in the path of such transverse movement.

5. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, a rock shaft, ejectors individual to the holders, means connecting the ejectors with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, means for selectively causing one of the ejectors at a time to be thus bodily moved with respect to the shaft while the remainder are rendered inactive upon an operation of the shaft, the last recited means embodying ,means individual to the ejectors and adapted to be selectively positioned in the path of such transverse movement.

means connecting the 6. A vending machine embodying a plurality of article holders, a rock shaft, ejectors individual to the holders, means connecting the ejectors with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, means for selectivelycausing one of the ejectors the ejectors at a time to be thus bodily moved while the remainder are rendered inactive upon an operation of the shaft, the last recited means embodying cam devices individual to the ejectors, a rock shaft with which the cam devices are connected, and means for actuating the last said shaft at will to selectively position the cams to effect such transverse movement of the respective ejectors.

8. A vending machineembodying a plurality of ejectors, means common to the ejectors for actuating them, said means embodying a rock shaft and with respect to which shaft the ejectors are bodily movable, means for actuating the shaft, cam devices individual to the ejectors for rendering the ejectors active with respect to delivery of the articles, and means common to the cams for selectively positioning them at will, to respectively cause only one of said ejectors at a time to be rendered active and others of the ejectors to be rendered inactive with relation to the articles to be dispensed upon the next operation of said actuating means.

9. A vending machine embodying a plurality of ejectors, means common to the ejectors for actuating them, said means embodying a rock shaft, meansfor actuating the shaft, cam devices individual to the ejectors for rendering the ejectors active withrespect to delivery of the articles, means for selectively positioning the cams at will, to respectively cause one of. said ejectors to be rendered active and others of the ejectors to be rendered inactive with relation to the articles to be dispensed upon the next operation of said actuating means, the last said means embodying a shaft, means for rotating the shaft, and-means cooperating with the said shaft for insuring the proper positioning of said cams.

10. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector connected with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for movement with respect thereto, means for rocking the shaft; a second shaft, a cam connected therewith, means for rotating the said second shaft to cause said ejector to be rendered active or inactive at will with respect to the delivery of articles thereby, and means for actuating the said second shaft at will.

11. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector connected thereto for oscillating movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto transverse to the axis thereof, means for rocking the shaft to cause separate from the ejector, and means for positioning said cam device at will to maintain said ejector against such bodily movement and to cause said ejector to become active and to be positioned to cause the ejector to become inactive with respect to the ejection of articles upon movement of said shaft.

12. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for independent sliding movement with respect thereto and in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, a shiftable' cam device adapted to be positioned within the path of such transverse movement in one direction to cause said ejector to become active with respect to the articles to be vended, and means for thus shifting the cam device.

13. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for independent bodily movement with respect thereto, a shiftable cam device adapted to be positioned within the path of such independent movement of said ejector to cause the same to become active with respect to the articles to be vended, and means for thus shifting the cam device, said ejector embodying a portion adapted to yield during the movement of the ejector in one direction.

14. A vending machine embodying an oscillatable shaft, an ejector, said ejector supported upon the shaft, oscillating means connecting the ejector with the shaft for movements therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto transverse to the axis thereof, means for actuating the shaft, said ejector being bodily movable with respect to the shaft and in a direction to render the ejector inactive with respect to delivery of an article upon the operation of said shaft,

, and means for controlling at will such movement of the ejector with respect to the shaft, to render the ejector active or inactive with respect to'the delivery of articles thereby, when the shaft is actuated.

15. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for rocking movements therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto transverse to the axis thereof, means for actuating the shaft, said ejector being bodily movable with respect to the shaft and in a direction to render the ejector inactive with respect to demesses livery of an article upon the operation of said shaft, and means for controlling at will such movement of the ejector with respect to the shaft, to render the ejector active or inactive with respect to the delivery of articles thereby, when the shaft is actuated, said ejector being provided with a portion adapted to yield during the movement of the ejector-in a direction to position the ejector to eject an article.

16. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for free sliding movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, a cam device, and means for positioning the cam device to be engaged by the ejector during rocking movement of the shaft to control the said transverse movement of the ejector and to cause the ejector to be rendered active with respect to delivery of the articles when the said shaft is rocked.

17. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for rocking movement therewith and for free sliding movement with respect thereto in directions transverse to the axis of the shaft, a cam device, and means for positioning the cam device to be engaged by the ejector during rocking movement of the shaft to control the said transverse movement of the ejector and to cause the ejector to be rendered active with respect to delivery of the articles when the said shaft is rocked, a portion of said ejector being shaped to form a surface adapted to contact with and move over the surface of said cam device.

18. A vending machine embodying a rock shaft, an ejector, means connecting the ejector with the shaft for movement therewith and for bodily movement with respect thereto, transverse to the axis thereof, a cam device, and means for positioning the cam device to be engagedby the ejector during rocking movement of the shaft to control the said bodily movement of the ejector with respect to the shaft and to cause the ejector to be rendered active with respect to delivery of the articles when the said shaft is rocked, a portion of said ejector being yieldable and adapted to yield only in one direction of movement of the said ejector with respect to the articles to be vended.

ALFRED D. ANTOINE. ALBERT E. GEBERT. 

